Chapter 48

April shook her head at the handsome doctor standing before her. " I don t know if I can trust a man who got a C in Women s Studies."

Robin had been regaling April with stories of them in their college days while they ate supper. Patrick s suggestion of sharing supper with the young woman had surprised her but she was more than happy to do it. She picked up the plate from April s tray and smiled at her. " I even offered to help him with his final paper but Mr. Ladies Man insisted that he knew more about women than the professor. "

"Not one of my best moments." Patrick admitted. He took the plates from Robin and began putting them in the picnic basket.

Robin began laughing. "Not one of your worst either." Her phone rang and she looked down at the caller ID. She sighed and shook her head. "Maxie."

Patrick continued to pick up the dishes. "You better get that - it' s probably about the wedding." Matt and Maxie s big day was only a couple of weeks away and Maxie was in overdrive trying to get it just perfect.

"And if I don' t answer she will just keep calling." Robin headed to the hall. " I' ll take this in my office I have a feeling that this is going to take a few minutes. " She gave Patrick a quick kiss on the cheek. " I will see you both in a little bit."

Patrick watched Robin as she left the room and then turned back to April. "My brother and her cousin are getting married in a couple of weeks and she is one of the bridesmaids."

"I see." April watched him carefully. " Dr. Soltini is quite a woman - it' s easy to see why you fell in love with her."

Patrick closed the basket and then sat down next to her bed. "Don' t you have anything better to do than worry about my love life?"

"Don 't get testy - she' s in love with you too." April smiled at him.

Patrick shook his head. "Robin is still dealing with losing her husband. She' s not ready for anything more than what we are doing right now and I am fine with that. "

The look on April 's face reflected her confusion. " I thought he died a long time ago."

"Oh." Patrick instantly understood what was going on. " No, Robin was married to an old friend of mine and he passed away a few years ago. "

"I see." She sighed. "You need to tell her. Take it from me, you don' t want to waste a moment. If I infected you with HIV..."

"You didn' t." The last thing he wanted was to have April feeling guilty for infecting him. He had made the decision to do the surgery and he didn 't regret it for one moment.

"If I did time will be an issue." She pushed the button on the bed and raised the head to a more comfortable position. " I' m not stupid, I know I don' t have much time left and I am grateful that you and Dr. Soltini are here to help me. This can be a lonely disease. My boyfriend infected me and then took off, my family doesn 't want anything to do with me and my friends are too frightened of catching it to come near me. It was my fault that I let my shame and embarrassment over being infected stop me from getting the medications I needed but I have accepted that I am alone in this. "

"It' s not too late for you April."

"Yes it is." April took a deep breath. "May I ask you a favor?"

"Of course." Patrick figured she wanted a special dinner snuck in tomorrow.

"If Robin ever gets to the point I am at, don' t leave her. Don 't let her go through it alone."

He was caught completely off guard by her request. "Honestly, I would never let Robin get to this point and, if she ever does, I would never leave her side. "

"Because of obligation?"

Patrick heard Robin coming down the hall and he wanted to end this conversation before she got back in the room. " Because she' s Robin and I care about her."

"I promise Maxie, first thing in the morning." Robin rolled her eyes as she smiled at Patrick and April as she waltzed back into the room. "Alright - good night."

He held out his hand and pulled her close to him, trapping her between his knees and wrapping his arms around her waist. " What are you doing first thing in the morning? "

"The bridesmaid dresses are back from the seamstress and she wants to make sure all the alterations are correct." Robin winked at April. "For some reason mine was a little long."

April laughed and noticed the protective way that Patrick kept his arms around her. " I can' t imagine why."

Patrick stood up and set his chin on top of Robin' s head. " I think we need to let you get some rest but I will be back in the morning to check on you. "

She nodded her head. " Sounds good doc. I' ll see you both later and have a great evening."

Patrick picked up the basket and took Robin' s hand in his. " We will."

_

Robin stood at her kitchen sink washing the dishes while Patrick dried them. " Tell me again why we are doing this instead of just loading them in the dishwasher? "

"It' s leaking and there aren' t that many dishes anyhow." Robin washed a knife as she spoke. "Mac is coming over this weekend to get fix it." As much as she cared about Patrick, she knew that his mechanical skills started and ended at the track. She dropped the knife into the clean side of the sink. " Get drying."

He was so busy watching her that he didn' t pay attention to what he was doing and grabbed the knife by the blade. " Damn it!"

Reacting on instinct, Robin went for his hand but he quickly pulled away. " Don' t touch me!"

Robin was shocked at first but quickly figured out why he was keeping his cut away from her. She handed him a towel and ran over to a cabinet by the stove. She pulled out the first aid kit and slipped on a pair of gloves before taking the kit back over to the sink. "Alright now let me see it. "

"No, I can' t risk blood on blood contact and..."

"That' s why I have on gloves. " She held up her hands. " See? Now let me take care of you." Robin sat down at the table, took the towel and laid it down on the table. "Let me do my job."

Reluctantly, he set his hand down on the table. The new cut was just below his wound from the day before. She inspected the new cut and was relieved to see it wasn 't that deep. "Just a surface wound. I' ll put some antibacterial cream on it and bandage you up. You' ll be back in the OR tomorrow no problem. "

"You know a week ago that would have been my only concern - when I could get back in the OR." He shook his head. " Funny how things change. "

"You just have a different perspective and that is not a bad thing." Robin finished bandaging him up and threw her gloves into the garbage can. Patrick began to throw the towel in behind them but she stopped him. " I' ll put it in the dirty clothes."

She reached for it but he pulled away from her. "No."

"Patrick," Robin knew he was being overprotective and decided to let him, " go ahead, it was an old towel anyway. " It was easier to replace the towel than fight him on the issue.

He relaxed as he threw the towel into the trash. Before she could say anything, he pulled the garbage bag out of the can and tied it up. Robin watched him head out the door to the garage and listened to him throw the bag into one of the outside cans and slam the lid on it tight. Moments later he walked back through the door. "Make sure that no one opens up that can I want to make sure that the virus is dead before the garbage is picked up on Monday. "

She nodded her head. "I promise. Now, I think we should discuss dessert." She leaned up and gave him a slow, passionate kiss. " What are you in the mood for?"

"You're killing me." He stepped back and shook his head. For the first time in his life, Patrick was afraid of hurting the woman he was with and he wasn't sure what to do about it. He wanted to be with her so much but he also wanted to protect her. "I want this, you know that I do. "

"Well I am here - just come and take me. " She took a few small steps towards him. " I understand what you are afraid of." She stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. "It was the same thing I was afraid of after I was first diagnosed. But that is the difference - I know I am HIV positive and you have not tested positive."

"But I could."

"And I know that, just like you knew that it was a risk to be with me but you took it anyhow."

"Robin," he kissed her forehead, "I want to make love with you but I won t put you at risk to do it."

"And I am not asking you too. Patrick, you know as well as I do that we have other options." She put her arms around his back. " Options that will not put either one of us at risk but still let us be together."

Patrick thought about what she was saying and realized she was right. "\They may not be able to have sex but there were many other ways they could be with each other. "Dr. Soltini, I love the way you think. What did you have in mind?"

Robin jumped up on him. She wasn' t worried about not warning him she was doing it - Patrick would always catch her. She giggled and then kissed him again. She had no sooner ended the kiss when his mouth attacked her neck, hitting that one spot that drove her crazy. Her arms tightened around his neck as he set her down on the table. "Well for starters, I think we have some whipped cream in the fridge ..."